Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
  • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
  • F03B13/12—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy
  • F03B13/14—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy
  • F03B13/16—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem"
  • F03B13/18—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
  • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
  • F03B13/12—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy
  • F03B13/14—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy
  • F03B13/16—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem"
  • F03B13/18—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore
  • F03B13/1845—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore and the wom slides relative to the rem
  • F03B13/1855—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using wave energy using the relative movement between a wave-operated member, i.e. a "wom" and another member, i.e. a reaction member or "rem" where the other member, i.e. rem is fixed, at least at one point, with respect to the sea bed or shore and the wom slides relative to the rem where the connection between wom and conversion system takes tension and compression
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
  • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
  • F03B13/10—Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03B—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS
  • F03B13/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates
  • F03B13/12—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy
  • F03B13/26—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus; Power stations or aggregates characterised by using wave or tide energy using tide energy
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2220/00—Application
  • F05B2220/70—Application in combination with
  • F05B2220/706—Application in combination with an electrical generator
  • F05B2220/707—Application in combination with an electrical generator of the linear type
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/95—Mounting on supporting structures or systems offshore
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/97—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a submerged structure
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/30—Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Definitions

• the present invention in a first aspect relates to a wave-power unit for the production of electric power
• a wave-power unit for the production of electric power
• a floating body arranged for floating on the sea and an electric linear generator having a stator and a translator reciprocating along a center axis, the stator being arranged to be anchored in the bed of a sea and the translator being connected to the floating body by flexible connection means.
• the connection means is flexible in the sense that it can be bent, it does not necessarily mean that it is elastic in its longitudinal direction,
• the invention reiates to a use of a such wave-power unit in a third aspect the invention relates to a method of producing electric power by providing a floating body to float on the sea, providing an electric iinear generator having a stator and a reciprocating translator, anchoring the stator in the bed of the sea and connecting the translator to the floating body by flexible connection means.
• WO 03/058055 discloses such a wave-power unit where the moving part of the generator, i.e. the part that corresponds to the rotor in a rotating generator and in the present appiicatton called translator, reciprocates in relation to the stator of the generator.
• the stator is anchored in the sea bed.
• the translator is by a wire, cable or a chain connected to a body floating on the sea.
• the floating body is located vertically above the generator on the axis of the translator as illustrated in fig 1 of that disclosure.
• the floating body is exposed also to lateral forces from the waves and from the wind. Therefore the floating body can drift away from that ideal position and will normally be located at a distance therefrom, As a consequence the wire connecting the translator and the floating body will not be aligned with the axis of the translator. This might cause side forces to the translator resulting in that it will not be centred or/and it becomes inclined, which will disturb the operation of the generator.
• the object of the present invention is to soive the above mentioned problem and thus provide a wave-power unit where the generator will operate properly irrespective of the relative lateral position of the floating body.
• a wave-power unit of the kind introductionally specified includes the specific features that the wave-power unit includes a guiding device, the connection means being arranged to pass through a lower opening and an upper opening of the guiding device, the portion of the connection means momentary being located between said openings being defined as the guided portion, the lower opening being arranged such that the guided portion adjacent the lower opening is aligned with said center axis and the upper opening being arranged such that the guided portion adjacent the upper opening is allowed to form an angle with center axis.
• the guiding device is rigidly connected to a housing of the generator.
• the guiding device in an easy way will be distinctly located in relation to the stator and thus secure a proper alignment with the translator
• the guiding means will be flexible in this respect and well adapted to take care of displacements in all directions.
• the guiding means comprises a hollow body, having said iower and upper openings, the upper opening being larger than the lower opening.
• the inner surface of the hollow body is rotational symmetric around the central axis.
• the rotational symmetric surface provides a suitable way of obtaining that the guiding device will be adapted for inclination in any direction.
• At least an upper part of the profile of the inner surface has a distance to the axis that increases continuously with increasing distance from the lower opening.
• connecting means repeatingly reciprocates through the guiding device there will occur wear between the connecting means and the guiding device.
• wear In order to obtain a lifetime of the connecting means as long as possible, preferably for many years, it is very important to minimize this wear.
• the continuously diverging inner surface of the hollow body will keep the wear at a low
• the upper part of the profite forms an acute angle with the axis, which angle continuously increases with increasing distance from the lower opening and is zero at the lower end of the
• connection means By this geometry of the inner surface, the guiding of the connection means to a direction aligned with that of the translator from a direction that is inclined thereto will be made by a surface that is in contact with the guiding device on a considerable part thereof and there will be no sharp edges or sharp changes in the direction of the connection means. All this contribute to further decrease the wear on the connection means.
• At least a portion of the upper part of the profile is a parabolic or circuiar function.
• connection means and the inner surface will be comparativeiy even along a large part of the contact area. This contributes further to a tow wear.
• the acute angle is in the range of 10 - 30° at a distance from the tower end of the upper part which distance is at least four times the diameter of the inner surface at the lower end of the upper
• the acute angle is within the range of 17° - 24° and the distance is in the range of 5 - 10 times.
• a iower part of the profile is parallel with the center axis, which lower part joins the upper part.
• connection means will be very distinct directed to the direction of the translator movement since it a certain distance will be forced in that direction within the guiding device,
• the smallest diameter of the inner surface is in the range of 100 to 120% of the width of the connection means.
• the part having the smallest diameter is intended for forcing the connection means to be in alignment with the translator movement.
• the clearance therefore from a geometricai point of view should be practically zero.
• a certain clearance is desirable in order not to squeeze the connection means and increase the friction. This wouid lead to friction losses as well as to increased wear.
• an acceptabie compromise of these two aspects is obtained. With the range of 101 to 105% this compromise is probably optimized.
• the guiding means includes a hollow insert concentrically located within the hollow body and being resiliently mounted to the hoilow body, such that at ieast the upper part of the insert is movabie perpendicular to the axis.
• connection means orientation to the inclinat bending of the connection means and decreases the friction wear. This is particularly favourable when the inclination of the connection means is varying.
• the hollow body is made of stainless steel.
• the inner surface is poiished.
• the inner surface has a coating.
• this embodiment offers an alternative way of limiting the wear on the connecting means.
• the hoilow body on its externa! surface is provided with radiaiiy extending flanges. This strengthen the hoilow body regarding radial forces from the connection means, and by the flanges the wall thickness than of the hollow body can be thinner than otherwise and thereby save material and weight.
• the holiow body on its externa! surface is provided with a radiaiiy extending disc-shaped element, which includes attachment means for attaching the guiding device to the housing of the
• the guiding device can be attached to the housing in a simple way.
• connection means is coated.
• connection means can be optimized in respect of low friction and high wear resistance.
• connection means is a wire and the coating is a carbon based polymer.
• a wire is normaily the most useful kind of connection means due to its flexibility in combination with strength properties.
• the said type coating is weli suited to meet the requirements on low friction and high wear resistance.
• the coating is extruded on the wire.
• connection means on the connection between the guiding device and the housing thereby w ⁇ l be mainly counterbalanced which results in a secure connection.
• approximately is meant within a distance from the middle that is + 15% of the length of the hollow body.
• the above described preferred embodiments of the invented wave-power unit are specified in the dependent claims.
• the invention aiso relates to a wave-power pianf that comprises a plurality of wave-power units according the present invention.
• the wave-power unit is used for producing electric energy.
• the invented method includes the specific measures of guiding the connection means by passing it through a iower and upper opening of a guiding device such that the portion of the connection means momentary being iocated between said openings being defined as the guided portion, whereby the guided portion adjacent the iower opening is guided to be aligned with the center axis and the guided portion adjacent the upper opening is aliowed to form an angle with the center axis.
• a wave-power unit according to the invention, in particular according to any of the preferred embodiments thereof.
• inner surface is ment the inner surface of the hoiiow body, or in case a hollow insert is provided, the inner surface of the insert.
• Fig 1 is a schematica! section through a wave-power unit according to the
• Fig 2 is an enlargement of a detail of fig. 1.
• Fig 3 illustrates an alternative example in a section corresponding to that of fig 2.
• Fig 4 schematically illustrates a wave-power plant according to the invention.
• Fig, 1 is a schematically side view of a wave-power unit according to the invention in operation in the sea.
• a floating body 1 floats on the sea surface and is connected by a connection means 3 such as a cable, wire, rope, chain or the like, to a linear generator 2 anchored at the sea bed. in the figure the generator is attached at the sea bed. It is, however, to be understood that the generator can be located above the sea bed and be anchored in some other way.
• the i ⁇ near generator 2 has a stator 5 with windings and a translator 8 with magnets.
• the translator 8 is able to reciprocate up and down within the stator 5 thereby generating current in the stator windings, which current by an electric cable 11 is transferred to an electric network.
• the translator 8 includes a rod 7 to which the wire 3 is attached.
• a spring (not shown) or the like acting on the translator 8 provides an additional force downwards.
• connection means 3 Since the generator 2 is anchored in the sea bed and the floating body 1 floats freely on the water surface, the floating body is free to move laterally in relation to the generator 2, Thereby the connection means 3 will become inclined.
• connection means 3 At the entrance of the connection means 3 into the housing 4 of the generator 2 there is provided a guiding device 9 that guides the connection means to move vertically below the guiding device 9 while allowing the connection means 3 that is above the guiding device to move in an inclined position.
• the guiding device 9 is attached to a conical frame ⁇ rigid!;
• the guiding device 9 allows the connection means 3 to gradually change its direction when passing through guiding device 9, such that the wear of the connection means becomes limited.
• the guiding device is illustrated more in detail in fig, 2, which is an axial section therethrough.
• the guiding device 9 In this example consists of a hollow body 12, that is moulded in one piece.
• the inner surface of the hollow body 12 is rotational symmetric around the axis C which is the same axis as the axis of the reciprocating movement of the center of the translator 6.
• the hollow body 12 has a lower opening 17 and an upper opening 18, through which openings the connection means 3 passes.
• the profile of the inner surface in an axial section is visible in fig. 2.
• a lower part 13 of this surface is cylindrical and thus has its profile In parallel with the center axis C.
• An upper part 14 of the inner surface has a continuously increasing diameter, such that the profile of this part from an acute angle with the center axis. The acute angle increases continuously from the lower end 15 of the upper part 14, which means that the profile follows a curve.
• a major portion of this curve is a parabolic or circular function.
• a small portion 18 of the upper part 14 adjacent the upper opening has a profile where the acute angle increase more rapidly than on the rest of the upper part such that the angle reaches 90° at the upper end.
• connection means 3 is a rope of plastic, thus being substantially circular.
• the lower part 13 of the inner surface has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the rope.
• the rope moves up and down through the hollow body 12.
• the rope normally is inclined between the guiding means 9 and the floating body as illustrated in the figure. Due to the shape of the inner surface of the hollow body 12, the rope changes its direction when passing therethrough such that it is vertical when passing through the lower opening 17. From above the rope wii! come into contact tangentially with the inner surface somewhere on its upper part 14. The axial location of this contact point depends on how much the rope is inclined. From the contact point the rope will be in contact with the inner surface along its complete extension and continuously change its angle from the contact point down to the location 15 where the lower part 13 and the upper part 14 join each other,
• the hollow body 12 is made of stainless steel and its inner surface is
• the hollow body 12 has a radia! flange 19 at the lower opening 17.
• a corresponding flange 20 is present at the upper opening 18 which flange is naturally formed due to the profile of the inner surface at this end, Further external radia! flanges 21 , 22 are located along the hollow body 12, The flanges reinforce the hollow body,
• FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative example where a hollow insert 28 is located within the hollow body 12.
• the insert 26 has a shape that substantially corresponds to that of the hollow body 12.
• the insert is resiliently mounted in the hollow body, e.g. by means of two rubber rings 27.
• the resiliency can be obtained by making the insert itself resilient, e.g. of resilient material and/or by providing axial slots at the upper and/or lower and of the insert.
• Fig. 4 in a view from above schematically illustrates a wave-power plant having a plurality of wave-power units of the kind disclosed in figures 1 and 2.
• the generators 2 of these units are all connected to a submerged switchgear 30 connected to an electric network.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Oceanography (AREA)
• Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)

Priority Applications (20)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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Country Status (19)

Cited By (4)

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Citations (4)

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• 2008
  • 2008-08-26 DK DK08813461.4T patent/DK2318696T3/en active
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  • 2008-08-26 CA CA2734598A patent/CA2734598C/en active Active
  • 2008-08-26 BR BRPI0823013A patent/BRPI0823013A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-08-26 MX MX2011002137A patent/MX2011002137A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2008-08-26 ES ES08813461T patent/ES2704131T3/es active Active
  • 2008-08-26 AU AU2008361019A patent/AU2008361019B2/en active Active
  • 2008-08-26 EP EP08813461.4A patent/EP2318696B1/en active Active
  • 2008-08-26 US US13/060,627 patent/US8664789B2/en active Active
  • 2008-08-26 JP JP2011524934A patent/JP2012501403A/ja active Pending
  • 2008-08-26 LT LTEP08813461.4T patent/LT2318696T/lt unknown
  • 2008-08-26 KR KR1020117006648A patent/KR20110045074A/ko active Application Filing
  • 2008-08-26 WO PCT/SE2008/050964 patent/WO2010024741A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-08-26 CN CN2008801308900A patent/CN102132033B/zh active Active
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• 2018
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